What happened, in summary

Shortly after turning 72, Buddy began having serious difficulty eating and increasing fatigue. In July, he was diagnosed with cancer at the gastroesophageal junction, where the stomach and esophagus meet. The disease was Stage IV and had spread to an adrenal gland.

Buddy began chemotherapy, but surgery was not possible because of the metastatic disease. The tumor made eating difficult, and treatment caused dehydration and frequent bowel problems. His family briefly felt hopeful when he was able to eat a full turkey dinner during treatment.

Buddy died on November 9, 2012, a little more than 3 months after diagnosis. His family remembered him as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle, and called for better recognition of persistent symptoms and earlier detection.